1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile telecommunications network and, in particular, to the broadcasting of messages to mobile stations traveling within a particular geographic area.
2. Description of Related Art
With the introduction of the Global System for Mobile (GSM) communication and the Personal Communications System (PCS), a number of advanced subscriber features and applications are provided to mobile subscribers. One such application is the communication of unstructured data between a mobile station and a serving mobile telecommunications network. Messages like Short Message Service (SMS) messages are utilized to communicate text or unstructured data between a serving mobile switching center (MSC) and a mobile station. Using SMS messages, the serving MSC can transmit text information to the mobile station and have the mobile station store the received text information in an associated register, such as an attached Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card. The text messages encapsulated within the received SMS messages can then be displayed to the mobile user for user interaction.
Another example of unstructured data communications comprises the Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (US:SD) message. Using USSD messages, a mobile telecommunications network is also able to transparently communicate text data with a mobile station. For example, a mobile station can receive and display text messages on an attached display unit and subsequently return a reply message back to the mobile network.
Conventionally, SMS and USSD messages can be utilized to communicate unstructured data, e.g., user defined text messages, from a mobile telecommunications network to a particular mobile station or to all mobile stations traveling within a particular mobile switching center (MSC) coverage area. As a result, in order to communicate messages to mobile stations located within a certain geographic area, the mobile telecommunications network must individually identify and specify the Mobile Subscriber Integrated Service Digital Network (MSISDN) number associated with each of the targeted mobile stations and sequentially transmit a message to the specified mobile stations. As an alternative, the serving MSC can also blindly transmit broadcast messages to all mobile stations located within its MSC service area.
However, there are situations where it would be advantageous to broadcast messages to mobile stations located within a selected geographic location or within a particular MSC coverage area. For example, a business owner may wish to broadcast advertising messages to all mobile stations located within the immediate vicinity of the business premises. As another example, an emergency service provider, such as the Emergency Service Bureau (ESB) or more commonly known in the United States as 9-1-1 service, may wish to broadcast emergency messages to mobile stations located only within a particular geographic area affected by an emergency crisis.
Accordingly, there is a need to enable the mobile telecommunications network to selectively broadcast connection-less signals, such as SMS or USSD messages, to mobile stations located within a particular geographic area.